The present invention relates broadly to a measuring square and more particularly to a collapsible rafter square adapted for the facile marking of angular dimensions on, or the transfer of angular dimensions from, rafters or other building materials and the like.
Spurred largely by developments in the science of building materials, the construction trades have undergone somewhat of a renaissance. Indeed, advanced building materials, often composites, laminates or the like, afford a rich opportunity for the design and fabrication of structures which heretofore could only have been imagined. For example, the production of laminated beams has resulted in the availability of longer, wider, and stronger load bearing members for use in spans as floor joists, roof rafters, and the like. Thus, the architect or civil engineer now need not be limited by the confines of conventional building materials.
However, with the advent of advanced building materials and the design opportunities afforded thereby has come the concomitant dilemma of the framer and other tradesmen who must make the dreams of the designer a reality. Unfortunately, advances in construction tools have not been as forthcoming as those associated with the materials of construction. In this regard, construction tools and techniques which were suited to the materials of the day now are inefficient and cumbersome.
In particular, framers are now presented with the prospect of constructing roofs of varying pitches or having spans longer than those once common, often with laminated rafters wider than what was once considered standard. In marking the plumb, level, and seat cuts for common or hip and valley rafters, framers heretofore typically have utilized a common builder or carpenter square. By positioning his or her thumbs along the legs of the square to correspond to the slope or pitch, i.e., rise over run, of the roof to be framed, the framer then could abut the square against the rafter and mark it for cutting. However, such a method, in addition to being cumbersome, was prone to error as the square had a tendency to slip from its intended position when the framer removed one hand therefrom to mark the rafter. This error would often be multiplicative in that one rafter was marked and then used as a template to mark the other rafters. In winter, the square was especially prone to slip on the frost layer which may coat the rafters. Moreover, the width of the rafter which could be marked by the foregoing method was limited by the length of the carpenter square.
In view of the foregoing, it may be seen that there has existed and remains a need for improvements in the marking of angular dimensions onto building materials such as rafters and the like. Such improvements would be well-received by the construction industries, especially framers, roofers, and siders who are now faced with the problem of building increasingly complex structures with unconventional materials.